Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Yr 1 2025

Title

Why Choose Levi?

Outline

Jesus chose Levi; but why?

Here he is walking along the sea near where boats landed and there is a customs post and he said to the tax collector there, “Follow me.” Why? He did not have a reputation as an observant Jew, certainly not of Jesus’ type (Jesus was closest to the Pharisees). The why is seen in the response: “he got up and followed him.” For “the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.” Jesus could “see” a heart ready to follow, a heart ready to through a “going away banquet” on the occasion of his being chosen. Levi probably did not know he had such a heart, for he did not expect to be called. But Jesus did. And Jesus could sympathize with the weaknesses of his past and offer him a different future. Levi was not disobedient, for he did all he could - he got up and followed Jesus, leaving all.

Why are the Pharisaic scribes not called?

It is not that they were really righteous, for they were critical of Jesus and saw themselves more righteous than he in terms of the rules of kashrut. They were sick, but they did not know it. The Word of God could see their hearts and he knew it. They were not ready to get up and follow him, to say the least. They thought they had no need, for they, the righteous, were not among the sick. Jesus does not try to call them.

So Sisters, let us learn the lesson

In evangelism ask Jesus to show us the ready hearts and go to them with invitation. Don’t waste your time criticizing others.

In our lives let us ask Jesus to show us our hearts, lest “we fall by the same sort of disobedience” and fail to “enter in,” to respond and keep responding to the invitation. That is why good examination of conscience is so necessary, doing it before God, for we tend to be like the Pharisaic scribes, Egyptians, living in de-nial and scapegoating others.

And always remember Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses, wants to expose them to us, not to condemn, but so that he can invite us to get up and get back on the road of following. So should we also do to others whose hearts are open.